AN MP wants the government to launch an inquiry after the body of a young holidaymaker who died in Central America was returned minus most of its organs.

AN MP wants the government to launch an inquiry after the body of a young holidaymaker who died in Central America was returned minus most of its organs.

Tony Somerville's family suspect the body parts may have been sold on the black market.

South Manchester Coroner John Pollard has expressed his concern at the case and now Altrincham and Sale MP Graham Brady is demanding an inquiry.

Tony, 31, from Altrincham, died of heart failure in Alajuela Hospital, near San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, where he had been enjoying a surfing holiday with pals in January 2001.

The fit 6ft 3in taxi driver enjoyed an active lifestyle despite a history of heart problems.

An autopsy was performed and Tony's body was returned to the UK without key organs.

Heart valves missing

As well as most internal organs, titanium heart valves inserted during surgery earlier in Tony's life were also missing.

Tony's family, who described him affectionately as a New Age hippy, buried him four weeks after his death.

They suspect his organs were sold on the thriving black market in body parts for hundreds of thousands of dollars and are sceptical about claims all organs removed during autopsies in Costa Rica are interred in a communal grave.

In a letter from the Foreign Office, the family was told Dr Del Valle, head of the coroners' office in Costa Rica, had assured the British embassy vice-consul the organs had been removed ''under internationally known and accepted procedure''.

It also stated: ''The removed organs are placed in a bag and taken to a cemetery...where they are buried in a common grave reserved for this purpose. All proper respect is shown''

But Tony's father, Keith, said: ''No other organ in his body was affected by illness but his heart. They would be extremely valuable in a third world country like Costa Rica. What other reason could there be for not returning them?

''All your organs have a value. I've heard kidneys are worth around $14,000.

''Just the heart valves, which are made of titanium, are worth a fortune. I don't believe the organs have been buried but I suppose neither I nor anyone else in this country will be able to prove any different.''

Donor card

He went on: ''Tony had a donor card and wanted his organs to be used but he just came back as an empty shell.

''How many other bodies have come back like this from abroad?'' At an inquest on Friday into Tony's death, his mother, Jean Drinkwater, asked Coroner John Pollard what right the Costa Rican authorities had to remove his organs and keep them.

Recording a verdict of misadventure based on the Costa Rican autopsy report, Mr Pollard said rules about organ retention in this country were now more rigorous following the Alder Hey scandal but added that he could only assume removing them was lawful in Costa Rica.

After the inquest, MP Mr Brady promised to take the matter up with the government.

''The inquest has left some very important and serious questions to be answered regarding the treatment of Tony Somerville's body,'' he said.

''I will certainly be pressing the government to try to obtain answers. I hope to try to make these tragic circumstances less likely to arise in the future.''